Lily and James Return
by TheFireGirl
Summary: Something happened on the night of October 31st 1995. Something that would change the course of wizarding history forever. James and Lily woke up in their destroyed cottage 14 years after they had died. What will happen now?
1. They're Back

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

On the evening of October 31st 1995 nobody noticed the slight shimmer that ran through most of Great Britain. Not the students of Hogwarts who were celebrating with their annual feast, not the two red headed parents who were having their own celebration, and not the man who was currently in hiding at his old house in London. Nobody noticed that the course of history had just changed forever.

A man with jet-black, messy hair was laying on the floor of a cottage, unmoving. That is, he was breathing, but it was though his limbs would not move due to a lack of exercise. The man stayed there for a long time, blinking and breathing, memories coming back to him. The house was quiet, until it wasn't.

"LILY, HARRY, LILY, LILY," he shouted, remembering. _Voldemort, the killing curse, telling his wife to take their baby and run. Then a burst of green light, and a thud. Why wasn't he dead?_ Where were his wife and son, he remembered trying to hold Voldemort off, but surly he would have gotten upstairs. Would they have gotten away, were they dead?

Upstairs, a woman with fiery-orange hair was slowly waking up too. Thoughts were running through her head, the failed portkey, blocking the door, telling Voldemort to kill her, green light. Was she dead? Surely not, because she was still breathing. A thud was ringing in her mind, she had heard the sound her husband had made when he hit the ground, heard the curse being muttered, heard him die. She held back her tears, she had looked over to the crib, and noticed it empty. Harry was gone, she had failed him. She let her tears fall, until she heard shouts eco through the house.

"LILY, HARRY, LILY, LILY," the voice shouted.

Lily's heart stopped, it couldn't be James. She tried not to let herself hope, "James?" she tried to call. Her voice cracked, and she couldn't muster any more volume.

He heard her voice though, and it gave him the strength to make it up the stairs. He fell to the floor beside her when he saw her. "Lily, Lily, Lily?"

She looked up in shock, "James?"

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, "What happened? Are you okay? Where's Harry?"

She just sobbed into his chest, so he held her tightly until she could talk. "I thought you were dead. I-I-I heard him kill you."

James looked at his wife with the utmost adoration, "Lils, everything's fine. I thought I was dead too, I don't know what happened. Do you remember?

Lily nodded into his chest, "I-I tried to use the portkey, but it was deactivated."

"Peter," James hissed.

Lily nodded, "So I blocked the door with the furniture, and shielded Harry. I-I knew that it wouldn't hold him off though. When he broke through, I-I asked him to kill me instead. I tried to do the sacrifice ritual."

"No, Lils."

"What wound you have done?"

James looked at her, but then nodded. "What happened next?" He asked, in a small voice, afraid to know the answer."

"He killed me," she said, "At least I thought he did. But, But don't you see, it doesn't matter. Harry's gone, the ritual didn't work." She started crying again.

James murmured loving words into her ear until she had stopped crying. "We need to figure out what to do next, I don't have a wand. Do you?"

She shook her head no. James looked lost in thought for a minute, but then he had an idea. "What about calling Anna, it'll be nice to have her help again."

Lily smiled brightly at him, "That's perfect, I really did miss her, and she'll be able to help us with magic in the meantime."

"Anna," James said in a slightly louder voice.

CRACK. An elf appeared in front of them, but she had a shocked look on her face.

Lily and James looked at their elf too, they were also shocked. She was wearing the pillowcase of a Hogwarts elf.

"Master James?" asked the incredulous elf. "Mistress Lily?"

They both nodded and Lily leaned down to hug the elf, but stopped when the elf shied away from her. "Remember that I told you to call us Lily and James, Anna?"

"Anna is remembering Miss. Lily. You's was telling Anna that being a Mistress in the muggle world is not a good thing." The elf started to cry, and Lily looked at her husband worriedly.

He looked just as concerned. "Anna? What is it?"

The elf stopped crying, "Anna is fine masters. Anna is just wondering if it is really her masters?"

"Of course it is Anna, surly you must be able to recognize my magic. You've know me since I was born."

"Anna can sir, but Anna is wondering if masters could show her some proof please. It would make Anna feel much better, you's is still looking the same."

"Proof?" James asked curiously.

Lily shot him a look, "Of course we will Anna," Lily was still hurt that Anna wouldn't come near her. She could of course order the elf too, but Lily would never do that. "What would you like us to do? We can't find our wands."

Anna nodded, and both Lily and James got the distinct impression that she knew exactly why they couldn't find their wands."

Anna looked up at James, "Could Master James please turn into Prongs?"

James looked surprised, but slapped the back of his head for forgetting. "Of course, Anna." He took a deep breath, and shifted into his stag form. It required a lot more effort without his wand, but he was able to manage it. When he shifted back, Anna was crying again, she looked as though she was going into a bit of a shock.

Anna looked at Lily, "Anna is convinced Lily, but she is still wondering if Miss. Lily could please prove herself too."

Lily thought for a second, "How would you like me to do that Anna?"

Anna just looked at her, but didn't say anything. Lily thought about the last few seconds, and realized what the elf wanted as proof. She looked directly at the elf, and said, "Vixen."

Anna's eyes widened. "Lily it really is you. Anna had hoped and hoped but it really is you. After all this time, and James, Anna can't believe that she is seeing you's again."

She ran into Lily's waiting arms, and hugged her old master. "Remember that that is a secret Anna, nobody else knows about it." The elf nodded in understanding and then hugged James.

James laughed at the crying elf, "It's good to see you too Anna, it's only been what, six days?"

The elf stiffened in James' arms, "Anna, what is it? And why are your wearing a Hogwarts uniform?"

The small elf was quiet; she was trying to figure out what to say. Lily looked from the frozen elf to her husband. She spoke in a small voice, almost as if she didn't want her suspicions confirmed. "It's been a lot longer that six days, hasn't it Anna."

The elf looked up at her master and nodded sadly. James looked at his wife, and then back at their elf. "How long? Weeks? Months?" he asked her.

Anna's voice was soft, "Today is October 31st…1995."

Lily gasped, and James wrapped her up in his arms. "Fourteen years," he said.

Lily was crying, "Anna, what about Harry? What happened?"

Anna didn't answer, so Lily assumed the worst. James looked ashen. "Anna is think that she is not the best person to be telling you's this," She said, "Anna is thinking there is someone better."

James nodded, "Where should we go?"

"Anna is thinking that Professor Dumbledore may be able to help explain things to you's. Anna will take you's to Hogwarts."

James nodded, so Anna grabbed her Masters hands, and with a CRACK the three of them disaperated.

**Hello my lovely readers. What did you think? Should I continue? Please let me know, I have some great ideas, but I wanted to know if you liked my ideas.**

**Until Next Time,  
TFG**


	2. Hello Again Albus

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

With another loud CRACK, the three of them appeared in an antechamber of the Great Hall. Lily was looking around, puzzled.

"Anna," she said, "Where are we?"

"Just off from the Great Hall, Lily. Anna was thinking that it might not be good for the students of Hogwarts to be seeing you's just yet. Anna was thinking that perhaps she might make you's invisible. Anna did not think it would be a good idea to take you's straight to the headmaster's office."

James laughed, "You're probably right about that, Anna." He said, "It might not be a good idea for two people who are supposed to be dead to show up in his office. He'll also want to verify that it's us too."

Anna nodded, but Lily looked panicked, "James," she hissed. "How can I prove it? I can't exactly say what I told Anna." Lily's head was racing; nobody but the three people in the room knew about Vixen, and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.

James nodded his head in agreement, but it was Anna who solved the problem. "Miss. Lily, you won't have to," she said. "Anna is remembering that you's gave Professor Dumbledore some papers on it with answers to you's secret questions."

James and Lily were delightedly shocked for a second, but then James leaned down and hugged the elf that had been in his family for his entire life. "Have I told you that I love you yet today?" he asked her.

Anna let out a sob, and Lily looked at her concerned. "Anna, What is it?"

Anna whipped her eyes, "Anna is just happy to here those words again, Lily. It had been such a long time." Anna thought back to the first time that young master James had said those words. She had blushed, but after a while it became a running joke between the elf and her master. It meant so much to her that she could finally hear those words again.

James hugged her again, and winked at her so that she blushed. "Well then I guess we'll just have to make up for lost time," he told the smiling elf.

Anna laughed, "Anna is looking forward to it James."

Lily watched her husband and their elf for a minute, and then cleared her throat, "So," she said. "What happens now?"

Both James and Lily looked at Anna, and she smiled brightly at her masters. "Anna will disillusion you's now," she said. 'The Halloween feast is just finishing, so Anna will go and talk to Professor Dumbledore. Then Anna can pop you's up to his office to talk,"

"Perfect," James said, and Lily nodded in agreement.

Anna snapped her fingers, so that she couldn't see her masters anymore. She could feel their presence though, so she knew that they were following her as she walked out to the staff table.

Anna was a small elf, so she was not tall enough for the students to notice that something strange was going on up at the staff table. When she reached Professor Dumbledore, he turned around.

"Hello, Anna," he said in a kind voice, remembering the evening exactly fourteen years ago when he had taken the teary eyed elf onto the Hogwarts staff. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The elf squirmed slightly, "Anna is wondering if she may talk to the headmaster in his office. She is thinking that he would like to know something that has happened tonight."

Dumbledore looked around her curiously, wondering whom the people who were obviously under an elf disillusionment charm that even he could not see through. He trusted her though, so he said, "Of course, Anna. And am I right to assume that this is also pretty urgent?"

Anna nodded quickly, so Albus got up and headed to the to the side door that would lead to his office. He warded off any questions from Professor McGonagall, telling her to deal with any problems that occurred in the evening. She looked slightly mad at being kept out of the loop, but acquiesced when he promised to update her in the morning.

Anna and her masters disappeared from the hall with a loud CRACK, and then reappeared in the headmaster's office.

Dumbledore appeared moments later, and offered the small elf seat. When they were both comfortable, he started what would soon become one of the most interesting and puzzling conversations of his life.

"So, Anna. What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

The elf took a deep breath, and Dumbledore gave her time to compose herself, wondering what on earth could have her in a state such as this.

"Earlier tonight," she started, "Anna felt someone calling on her magic."

Dumbledore was shocked, he hadn't known what he was expecting, but it most certainly wasn't this. An elf's magic could only be called upon by its masters. Anna paused when she saw his face, but he motioned for her to continue.

"So Anna disaperated, and she found…she found…she," Anna had started to cry, and was having trouble telling her story.

Lily was watching the scene in frond of her unfold, she glanced at James and he nodded his head in agreement with her plan. Lily knew that on a human, an elf's disillusionment charm worked differently. It would keep you hidden from all gazing eyes, but as soon as you spoke, the spell would fall apart. Lily took a deep breath and grabbed James' hand, preparing herself for what was about to come. Then, she said, "She found us."

Anna looked up at her masters, surprised at their appearance, but it was nothing compared to the shock on Dumbledore's face. He was standing a second later with his wand drawn and pointed at the two new arrivals.

"Who are you?" he demanded

James looked at his wife, and she nodded for him to speak. "James and Lily Potter."

'They're dead," Dumbledore said in a stormy voice, not believing what he was seeing, "Reveal yourself,"

"We've got nothing to hide Albus," James said. "We don't even have our wands."

Albus looked at them curiously, it was true, and they didn't appear to be defending themselves in the slightest. Just to be safe, he performed a disarming spell that had no results.

He looked at the elf curiously, "You think that they are actually Lily and James?"

Anna nodded, "Anna is recognizing their magic, Anna knows who they are."

Lily spoke this time, "She asked us too, and she verified who we are."

Dumbledore looked at Anna, "Is that true?"

"Oh yes Professor Dumbledore, Anna was asking them's secret questions. Anna is very shocked, but Anna is knowing that they's are really her master's."

Dumbledore was shocked, if Anna was able to recognize the magic of the two people in front of her, they had to be her master's. Even as unbelievable as that was.

Dumbledore looked at the people who looked like two of his favorite former students, "You realize that I'm going to have to verify this for myself?"

James laughed, "We wouldn't have it any other way."

Albus nodded and conjured two more chairs, gesturing for them to sit down. He summoned two small bottles of Veritaserum, and placed them on the table. Then he summoned a box of papers that he had kept from the old Order of the Phoenix, which had questions about each member. He found the two pages labeled Lily Potter and James Potter.

Then he looked at the two of them, "Who wants to go first?"

James and Lily looked at each other briefly, "I'll do it," James said.

Dumbledore handed him a bottle, and James uncorked it and swallowed the contents. His eyes glazed over, and Albus knew that it was working.

"Name?"

"James Charles Potter,"

"Birthday?"

"March 27th 1960,"

"What is the best birthday present you have ever received?"

"Lily's, in our seventh year,"

Lily blushed brightly at this, but Dumbledore pretended not to notice, "What are your in-laws names?"

"Rose and William Evans,"

"Why is Uncle Alfred your favorite uncle?"

"I don't have an Uncle Alfred."

"Why is your nickname Prongs?"

"When I discovered that my best friend Remus was a werewolf, Sirius, Peter and I became animagus'. I take the form of a stag, so they started to call me Prongs."

"Could you please show me your animagus?"

James stood up, shifted forms for a minute and then shifted back. Albus was smiling now as he handed Lily the antidote to give to her husband. It really was James Potter sitting in front of him, which meant that this was most likely Lily Potter in front of him too. Albus was very much in shock about what appeared to be their return from the dead.

When James was cleared from the potions influence, he was grinning. "Did I pass?" he asked cheekily.

Everyone there laughed, "With flying colors," Dumbledore said. He handed the other bottle to Lily, and watched as she drank the potion.

"Name?"

"Lily Marie Evans?"

"Birthday?"

"January 30th 1960."

"Siblings?"

"An older sister, Petunia Dursley, neé Evans," she said with a face.

"How did you learn that you were a witch?"

"When I was 9, Severus Snape told me after seeing me perform accidental magic. I didn't tell my parents though, they found out when I got my first Hogwarts letter."

"How many times did you reject James, and what time was your favorite?"

Lily laughed, "316 times. My favorite was during our O.W.L's when he told me that if I rejected him he'd run naked from the Astronomy tower to the Gryffindor common room. Alice and I might have mentioned it to some of the students so that he had an audience for his show."

James and Dumbledore both laughed, "What did you never tell James about that particular occasion?"

Lily grinned impishly, "Sirius lent me James' invisibility cloak so that I could have a good seat in the common room to watch the show."

James gasped at this; he couldn't believe that his best friend or wife had never thought to tell him this particular story. He was going to have some choice words with them after this. James felt a pang in his heart when he thought about Sirius, he had no idea what had happened to his friend in the last fourteen years, especially when no one would have known about their last minute switch. He tried to push that out of his mind.

Dumbledore was laughing too as he handed James the antidote to give to his wife. When Lily came back, she was looking at the two laughing men suspiciously. When she got no explanation from either of them, she turned to Anna, who was also laughing.

"Care to share?" she asked the elf.

Anna took a second to compose herself, "Anna is just laughing about the first time you was using James' invisibility cloak."

Lily blushed brightly, and James gave her a hug. "I thought it was funny," he told her.

Lily ground her teeth together to keep the smile off her face, "It's hilarious," she muttered.

This had everyone in the room laughing again. When they all recovered, Dumbledore looked at his two favorites, "So," he said. "I guess I should say welcome back."

Lily nodded, "That sounds pretty strange, especially considering that it feels like we never left. I think we both have some explaining to do," she said.

Dumbledore nodded, "I am very curious, and puzzled," he admitted. "Perhaps your story will help me come up with a reasonable explanation."

James looked slightly dejected, "So you don't know what happened?"

"I'm afraid not. I have ideas," Dumbledore said, before adding on something when he saw the Potter's hopeful expressions, "But none of which I will be sharing at the moment."

James frowned, but Dumbledore continued, curious to hear a full explanation for this very strange occurrence, "Why don't you both start," he said, not ordering them to do so, but leaving no room for argument.

The Potters exchanged a glance, and then James took a deep breath before starting to tell their side of the story.

**Hello my lovely readers. Thanks so much for the overwhelming response from everyone. I can't believe that in two days I've received 15 reviews and over 40 FOLLOWERS and 20 FAVOURITES. I can't thank you all enough. **_**"This is just like magic!"**_

**I have decided to continue with the story, so please keep letting me know what you think in a review! I love hearing from everybody, and answering your questions. Did you like this chapter? Does anyone want to take a guess about what Lily means by Vixen? What about James' favorite birthday present?**

**Until next time,**

**TFG**


	3. What Happened?

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

"And that's everything," Lily finished their story after picking it up from where James left off. "Anna brought us here and we met you."

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled as he learned this new information. It was very curious, and he truthfully had no idea how it could have occurred. There were no signs that dark magic had been involved, as it would have left a noticeable trace surrounding the young couple.

"Albus, do you think you can tell us what happened-" Lily started to ask.

She was interrupted when Dumbledore lifted up his old wrinkling hand telling her to wait. She stopped, but soon became impatient with the headmaster. This was evident because of the appearance of deep worry line forming on the side of her forehead. Under normal circumstances, James would have called it cute, but now he barely noticed it because of his concern for his son.

This silence lasted for another minute before James got fed up with waiting, "Albus! Just tell us, no more waiting. It's been fourteen years, and we want to know what has happened."

Albus looked affronted at the loud tone of James' voice, but he soon sighed and began to explain, "Where should I start?" he mused to himself.

Lily, who was only slightly calmer that her husband, rolled her eyes, "How about with her son?" she said sarcastically, with no hint of humor in her eyes. "What happened to Harry?"

Both her and James were looking at Albus, waiting. "I guess that would be a good place to start the story," he mused. "Voldemort tried to kill him that night, but the cursed didn't work. Hagrid found him-"

He was interrupted by a high-pitched sound coming from Lily, "He's Alive?" She asked, with James looking as equally shocked beside her.

Dumbledore looked at Anna questioningly, "Anna was thinking that it would be better for Professor Dumbledore to be telling them's," she said.

He turned back to the now crying couple, "Yes, he's fifteen and can drive Minerva up the wall sometimes."

"He's here? Can we meet him?" Lily asked excitedly, her eyes lighting up.

"He's in Gryffindor?" James asked. Not ten seconds later he received a smack upside the head from his exasperated wife.

"That's what you got from that? Not the he's fifteen years old, or that he's in this very building, But that he's in GRYFFINDOR?"

"Yes?" James asked meekly.

Lily rolled her eyes, and Dumbledore tried to conceal his laughter before he continued with the story, "He is and you Can," he told the couple, "But if will have to wait for a while. I'll let Anna explain some of the circumstances later, but the boy will not be quick to believe it's you. We'll need to enlist the help of some order members first. Now, as I was saying, Hagrid found him and brought him to the Dursley's."

"YOU GAVE MY SON TO PETUINA?" Lily screamed, her eyes blazing.

"Our will said Sirius," James told him.

'I understand that," Dumbledore said, "But he had to live with a blood relation. You know that from the ritual,"

"THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE SIRIUS!" Lily told him.

"Well yes," Dumbledore said, "But there were extenuating circumstances with Sirius. Everybody believed him to be guilty."

James groaned, he knew the headmaster was right. "What happened?"

"I'm getting ahead of myself," the headmaster said. "I'll start at the beginning. After I left Harry, I tried to find Sirius. Hagrid had seen him earlier at you cottage. I arrived in a muggle village in time to see Peter shouting about him being a traitor, and to watch, as I believed him to kill thirteen muggles and Peter. He was sent to Azkaban without a trial."

James groaned, but Lily had picked up of the headmasters word choice, "You don't believe that anymore?" she asked.

Albus shook his head, "I'll let Anna fill you in on the detail," he said, "But Sirius escaped in Harry's third year and set the record straight. He's still in hiding though, the ministry had yet to clear the charges."

Albus went on to give a brief description of the next two years, but went into little detail. He wanted to give Harry a chance to tell his parents his own story. When Albus was finished, both the Potter's were in a slight shock, it was a lot to take in everything that had happened.

"Why don't you get some rest," Dumbledore suggested. "You can use your old head-dorm, the password is Godric."

"What about everyone else?" James asked.

"We need to do this delicately," Albus explained. "Remember that everyone believes you to be dead, I will let you know when you can meet everyone, and when you can meet Harry. For now, you should rest and Anna can fill you in on anything that you have questions on."

When the both nodded, "But won't the two head students be using the dorm?" Lily asked.

Dumbledore laughed, "There are four different head dorms," he explained. "Every year they get to live in the one that is closest to both of their common rooms. This year both students are in Ravenclaw, so they're using the dorm hear their common room."

When he saw nods of understanding coming from the couple, Dumbledore smiled at the elf. "Anna, when I took you on it was until your Master Harry was of age, but if you would like I will let you go back to serving Lily and James."

The elf smiled at him, "Anna would like that very much sir. Thank you so much. Anna is very happy to have her masters back."

Lily smiled at the elf, "We're glad to be back too," she told the elf, her eyes showing that happiness and gratitude.

"Are we ready to go?" James asked.

"Just remember," Dumbledore said. "You are believed to be dead. Until I tell you otherwise, remain hidden. It is imperative that you are not seen."

Both of the Potters nodded and thanked Albus. He promised to talk with them soon, so they bit the tired man goodnight and grabbed Anna's hand so that she would be able to take them directly to their room.

**Hello my lovely readers. I really hoped you liked this chapter! I realize that it's a little short, but it seemed like the best place to split up the story. Please let me know what you think.**

**Thank you so much to all of my wonderful readers, I am shocked that I already have 85 FOLLOWERS and 24 REVIEWS! Thank you everyone! Also, I wanted to thank **_**Kalvin Ellis 80**_** for his/her review. I realize that detail isn't my strongest, so I am trying my best to improve because of your review. Not so much in this chapter, because it was already edited, but defiantly watch out in future ones for more detail.**

**Until next time,**

**TFG**


	4. The Dorm

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

Lily was looking around her seventh year dorm, nothing appeared to have changes since she and James had moved out. She saw their old desks, still facing each other like how they had moved them after they started dating (Actually, James had moved them before that, but Lily had moved them back because she still couldn't stand working with him). She saw the couches surrounding the fire, and the small island with a coffee pot beside them, along with the door to their massive attached bathroom. She blushed slightly when she saw the stairs leading up to the _separate_ dorms.

James noticed this blush, and winked at her with his usual cocky grin. More often than not in the later part of their year, they had ignored the second dorm all together. "This place hasn't changed a bit," he said while still gazing around.

Lily nodded, "I wonder who's stayed here since we left."

James shrugged, "You could always check the register,"

"That's right," Lily said, walking over to a cupboard in the wall and pulling out a book. She looked at it, and laughed. "We were,"

James and Anna joined in her laughter, and when they had stopped the three of them sat on a sofa.

"So, Anna," James asked, "Would you mind telling us about what's happened?"

Anna grew somber, but nodded. "Sure, Master James," she said, while nodding. She was about to start her story, but was interrupted by Lily.

"No, Anna not tonight. You're tired, and you still must be in shock too. Go to sleep, you can tell us in the morning."

James looked like he was about to protest, so Lily continued. "James, we will find out in the morning. If that's a problem for you then I will just go sleep in the girls dorm, and I think you can figure out for yourself what that means. "

James gulped and shook his head fast, "No, that's fine with me. Get some sleep Anna, you can tell us in the morning when we're all more awake."

The two girls laughed, "Lily," Anna said, "You know that Anna could easily be removing the charm for you's,"

Lily winked at the elf, and then smiled. She grabbed James hand and led him towards his old arm. Anna, please feel free to stay in my old room. We want you to be as comfortable as possible.

Anna smiled at her masters, "Thank you's ever so much, but Anna is thinking she will go back down to Anna's bed. If that is alright with you's?"

"Of course," James said. "Just pop back when you're ready to tell us the story. We'll be here all day," he joked.

The elf grinned and then popped away, "Now," James said. "Where were we?"

"Going to bed," Lily said impishly.

James pouted, "Really, because someone seemed to remind me of a birthday surprise-"

Lily blushed bright red, "I still can't believe you told Dumbledore that!" she exclaimed. "It was bad enough that your friends realized it too!"

James laughed and gave her a short kiss on the lips. Lily pouted this time, wanting more. James gave her another one of his signature cocky grins, and then she laughed and pulled him up the stairs to the dorm room, slamming the door behind them as they went.

**Hello my lovely readers! Sorry this one's so short, but it was necessary unless I wanted them to stay up all night listening to Anna tell the story. I also didn't want to split the story up, and it was too long otherwise. I'll give you a hint about the next chapter to make up for it…James and Lily get acquainted to another house elf who has tennis ball sized eyes, and who's name rhymes with Hobby. Know who it is?**

**Also, the chapter should be up within the next few days! Thank you to all of my wonderful readers, reviewers, followers, and favouriters! You all encourage me to keep going and post faster! **

**Until next time,  
TFG**


	5. Story Time

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

James and Lily awoke to the smell of their favourite breakfast foods—fruit salad, toast, bacon and pumpkin juice. Lily, the lightest sleeper of the two had to shake James awake for a solid ten minutes before he was aware enough to walk down the stairs. When they finally walked into the common room, Lily's jaw dropped as she saw a table piled with food, and only a pair of tiny elf ears visible behind it.

"Anna?" she asked the pair of pointy ears.

Anna walked around the table, "Masters Lily and James," she exclaimed, ignoring their protests about their names. "Anna is cooking you's breakfast, she has made your favorites first."

James looked up at the mountain of food, "There's still more?" he asked the elf.

Anna nodded happily, "Of course, Anna is still making the eggs and the pancakes and the coffee and the tea and the-"

Lily cut off the elf kindly, "Anna this is a lot of food, I really don't think that we need anymore."

The elf looked like she was about to cry, so Lily kept talking, "We really appreciate it Anna, it's just that it's a lot of food." Lily looked over at James before continuing, winking at him. "Why don't you join us Anna?"

Anna looked shocked for a second, "Oh no, Anna could never do that," she said.

James laughed, "Nonsense Anna, you used to eat breakfast with me before."

Anna still shook her head, "That is when you's was much younger James," she said.

Lily shook her head, "Well, I've never had the delight of eating with you Anna, and I know that James and I have both missed you. Will you please join us?"

The elf was quiet for a minute, thinking, "I guess Anna could be sitting with you's today," she finally said.

Lily and James both laughed and hugged the elf, all three of them grabbing plates and food. They went and sat on the couches with their plates, and both made sure to tell Anna just how great her food was, and how much they had missed it. The elf beamed with the praise, delighted that she could finally serve her masters once again.

Once they were finished with breakfast, and the dishes had been popped away, Lily and James settled back onto the couch opposite Anna.

Lily spoke quietly to the elf, "Anna, when you think your ready, could you please tell us what has happened in the last fourteen years?"

The elf took a second to compose herself, "It's not a very good story," she said. "Are you's sure that you's would like Anna to be telling the story?"

James nodded, "Please Anna," he begged. "We need to know."

The little elf took a few deep breaths, "Okay, Anna will tell you's the story." She was quiet for another minute, and the only sounds in the room were those of her deep slightly raspy breaths. She was also silently crying at the thought of what she was about to tell her masters. Finally, she started the story.

"T-T-That night after y-y-you's d-d-died Sirius showed up, Hagrid was saying's that Professor Dumbledore was telling him's to take little master Harry to the Dursley's. Master Sirius left on his motorbike to try and find Peter, but he was framed and they sent him to A-A-Azkaban. They's was saying that he killed Peter and some muggles, but it wasn't him. It was Peter, he transformed and escaped. Anna tried to help, she promises she did, but nobody listened to a house elf."

Lily and James exchanged a horror filled look, and went back to listening to Anna. "Anna tried to find Master Remus to explain, but it was a full moon and he was not home. When Anna tried again he was already gone, she couldn't find him's after that."

"Anna decided to go and see Professor Dumbledore and he was ever so kind, he was offering Anna a position at Hogwarts. He even offered to pay Anna like you's did, but Anna made him promise not to tell anyone else. Nobody here even knows that Anna is a Potter Family elf."

"Anna," Lily said softly. "It's not something to be ashamed of, we love you but we don't think you need to be treated like a servant."

Anna smiled, with a strange look on her face that Lily thought must have a deeper meaning that she could understand. "Anna is knowing that now Lily," said the elf, before continuing. She gave them a summery about her last fourteen years that took quite a few minutes to explain. She even mentioned how she tried to tell Master Remus when he was working at Hogwarts, but how she could never find him alone to tell him.

Lily kept getting paler and paler as the story went on, but when Anna was finished she became very nervous as she realized that Anna had never mentioned the fate of her best friend and her husband. She took breath, and mustered up toe courage to ask, "Anna, what happened to Alice and Frank?"

The little elf's features froze, and Lily began to sob, fearing the worst. James was shocked too, he couldn't believe what had happened to two of his fellow aurors."

Anna corrected their assumptions, "T-T-They's is not dead," she managed to say.

Lily looked up, becoming hopeful, "Oh, good. You had me scared for a second Anna. I couldn't believe that they were gone too, I couldn't…" she trailed off looking at Anna's face again.

"What happened to them?" James asked her.

Anna spoke in a quiet voice, "A-A-A few days after you's was k-killed, Bellatrix Lestrange broke into their h-house with some other d-death deater. They's was t-t-tortured into insanity from the C-C-Cruciatas Curse."

Lily stared to bawl, and James wrapped her tightly into her arms whispering comforting words into her ear. When she had regained her composure she asked, "M-My godson? What happened to Neville?"

"He's been living with his grandmother ever since," Anna said.

Lily actually laughed at this, "Augusta? How I can't wait to meet him, I'll have a lot of work to do in order to make up for everything that woman had said to him for the past 14 years."

James laughed at this too, it's not that Mrs. Longbottom would have been cruel; it's just that her opionions on many things differed from most other peoples. "Anna, now that we know what's happened, do you think you could tell us about Harry now?" Lily looked up curiously at this too, dying to know what had happened to his son.

Anna thought for a minute, she had purposely been avoiding this topic, both because she knew it would be a painful one, and because she didn't actually know many things about the boy. "Anna can try," she finally said, "But she is not knowing too much about young Master Harry,"

Lily looked shocked, "You don't? He's been in the castle for four and a half years, doesn't he know you?"

Anna shook her head, "We have never met while he is conscious, nut sometimes Anna had sneaked up to the hospital wing to see him's."

"Hospital Wing?" Lily said loudly.

"He's an excellent seeker," Anna said quietly. James roared with laughter at this.

Lily smiled slightly, "Is there anything you can tell us?" she pleaded.

Anna started to shake her head, but then smiled brilliantly. "Anna is not knowing much, but she is knowing someone who does." Anna snapped her fingers, ignoring her master's protests, and another elf appeared.

"Nobody else can know about us Anna," she said. Her heart sank when Anna snapped her fingers, but she laughed slightly when another elf appeared. It was fine is the house elves knew, as they were bound by the Hogwarts magic never to tell any secrets, and if Anna trusted this elf enough to tell them what happened, it was obvious that James and her could too.

James' thoughts were very similar to Lily's, and he looked just as bewildered as her when another elf appeared beside Anna. The elf looked quite odd, because he was wearing two different socks and a few hats on his head. The elf still hadn't seen them yet, because he was still looking at Anna.

"Anna?" the other elf said. "What are you's doing? Why did you need to speak with D-"

The elf stopped talking when he saw who else was in the room, he also froze. James and Lily looked at each other, and then at the elf. "Hello there," Lily said. "I'm-"

The elf looked at Anna, and back at Lily "Harry Potter's Parents" he said.

James and Lily both laughed, "Well yes," James said, laughing at the absurdity of being recognized by the parents of his son. "I'm James and this is Lily, my wife."

The elf looked back at Anna again, still in disbelief. Anna sighed, "Dobby," she told the fellow elf, "These are my masters, I'm a Potter Family house elf." She told him

Dobby's mouth fell open in shock, and only after a full minute did he recover. "Dobby is ever so sorry to you Anna. Dobby had been tending to Harry Potter when it was not his job. Why did Anna not say anything to Dobby, Dobby would have stopped and let Anna do her job."

Anna laughed, "It's fine Dobby, Harry is really liking's you's and he has never met Anna. He doesn't even know that he has a house elf, I was waiting for him to become of age. "

Dobby still looked upset, and was mouthing quiet apologizes to Anna when Lily spoke again, "Dobby," she said. "As you can tell, we've been resurrected and have no idea how or why. Anna said that you knew our son, and we were wondering if you could tell us about him?"

Dobby looked shocked that they were asking him, of all people or elves. He kept thinking of what an honor it was to do so. He looked at Anna, who nodded her head in encouragement and excitement. She was also looking forward to learning about her your master too.

"Dobby can do that Miss. Lily," he said, excited. "But Dobby will not tell you everything, he is thinking that Harry Potter should be able to tell his own stories."

Lily and James agreed, they didn't want to invade their son's privacy, especially when he had no idea that they were doing so. Lily nodded to the eccentric elf, it was obvious that he was a close friend to her son, and she wanted to get to know Dobby as much as possible. He seemed great from first impressions, and she was sure that her fondness for the elf would be much stronger as the afternoon wore on. She didn't know why, but she just sensed that Dobby played very important role in the story she was about to hear.

Dobby sat down on the couch beside Anna and began his story, pausing to answer their questions as much as he could. He never mentioned the specific adventures that Harry and his friends had been through, instead only mentioning their outcomes. Lily was shocked and proud to hear about how her son had freed Dobby form the clutches of the Malfoy's, and James had smiled when he learned how his son had helped his best friend escape the dementor's kiss. James was extremely curious as to how his then thirteen-year-old son had accomplished that, but Dobby told him that he would have to ask someone else about that.

Dobby had been quite nervous to tell everyone else about Harry's fifth year. Anna, of course already knew what had happened. Lily had stated to cry when she learned her son had been forced to compete in the Triwizard Tournament, and slightly upset when Dobby wouldn't tell her about the three tasks. She was still crying when Dobby told that Voldemort had been reborn. James had issued a stream of profanity's when he had learned about his ex-friend's involvement.

Dobby continued to tell them about their son, making sure to mention almost nothing about his fifth year at Hogwarts so far. He added in some of his funnier memories to try and take away some of their tears. When he was done, it was dark outside. The story had taken much longer than anyone had thought, and they had missed supper. Dobby had popped down to the kitchen and gotten some food for everyone, and it was his turn to cry when Lily and James had invited both elves to stay and eat with them.

Both Anna and Dobby graciously agreed, and supper was spent recounting some more happy memories about Harry and the rest of the Golden Trio. Lily had smiled when she learned about how close her son was to his friends, and only slightly puzzled when Dobby told her that she would have to ask Harry about how they had met each other and become such good friends.

Dobby made sure not to tell them too much, because he wanted to give Harry that chance. He only told them enough to satisfy their curiosity, and ensure that they knew he was safe and protected. When he was done, both Lily and James were overwhelmed with gratitude for the Weasley's. They knew that they could never find a way to repay Author and Molly for the kindness and love they had shown their son. Lily was convinced that it must have been some of the only he was shown apart from at Hogwarts, because her sister certainly wouldn't have treated the offspring of two wizards with any. Dobby neither confirmed nor denied her accusations, which made her that much more suspicious.

When Dobby's story was finally done, and everyone in the room was yawning they parted ways for a good night's sleep. Before Dobby and Anna had left, Dobby made sure to profusely offer his assistance to anything that Lily or James needed. The both smiled and thanked him for his kindness and told him that they would call him if they did. Lily had then gotten down on her knees and given him, along with Anna, a hug and kiss on the cheek. This caused two blushing elves to quickly dissaperate, and the two humans to laugh.

Lily and James spent the next hour or so cuddling on the couch talking about everything they had learned today. Lily had started to cry as the fate of her best friend and her family had finally hit her, but James quickly kissed away her tears, vowing they would try and do everything they could to help. They had also talked about their son, both curious about what Dobby could have possible left out of his story, each unaware that Dobby hadn't even mentioned half the things that happened to their son in the last fourteen years. Soon after that, with both of them dozing off, James carried his wife upstairs to their bed and transfigured their clothes into pajamas.

Lily awoke enough to mumble a soft, "Thank you," before James had tucked them both in and they each got lost into a deep slumber.

**Hello my lovely readers! I hoped you liked this chapter, and that you'll let me know what you think about it in a review. Thank you so to everyone who has read up to this point, and especially to everyone who had favorited, followed and reviewed this story. It means the world to me to have so much support, and certainly makes me write faster.**

**Also, I have a sort of contest for my readers. In one of the next few upcoming chapters, there is a scene where a certain red haired person has to cast the bat boogey hex on a certain greasy haired git. (Hint: it's not Ginny) Since there's no incantation for the spell, I thought I'd let my readers come up with one. Just leave a comment with your **_**original**_** incantation, and I'll pick my favorite one to use in the story. I will dedicate the chapter with the spell in it to the winner. Happy brainstorming! **

**Until next time,  
TFG**


	6. Conversations and Explorations

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

"ALBUS!" Minerva McGonagall screamed loudly as she stepped off the spiral stairs, causing some of the baubles in the office to shake on their shelves.

"My dear Minerva," he said, his eyes twinkling. "What on earth is the matter?"

McGonagall stared at him in utter disbelief, "You are," she said. "Two days ago a house elf shows up at the Halloween feast with people who were obviously disillusioned. You blindly get up and follow it, not even considering the consequences and forbid me to accompany you. Then, you hide away in your office and refuse to let in any visitors, MYSELF INCLUDED!"

"Oh," the headmaster said, casually, "Is that all?"

Minerva just looked at him, freezing for a moment before raising her voice once again, "Is that all?" she repeated. "I would think that it's bloody well enough. Albus, as deputy headmistress of this school I demand that you tell me what in the world happened to make you lock yourself in your office."

Dumbledore's thoughts were racing, how on earth could he explain this. He knew that he would have to let the order know eventually, but he still had no explanation for this occurrence. And, he would also have to find a way to tell Harry, for surly Lily and James wouldn't wait to meet their son forever. He decided to downplay what had happened, "It's really n-"

"Don't even try saying that it was nothing," Minerva warned him, gazing at him with her piercing eyes that she usually only reserved for the worst king of troublemakers. "If it was important enough for you to leave the feast before dessert, then it's important enough for me to know. And for the rest of the order to know too, for that matter."

Dumbledore sighed, she was of course right. Although it was important to maintain this secrecy, the longer he didn't tell the order, the worse the outcome would be. It would be hard enough for the order to believe that the potters were alive, let alone that he hadn't told them about their return. "Perhaps, in this moment you are correct Minerva," he started to say, before he was cut of from a quiet snort. "I believe that it is time for the order to find out what has happened. If you will be so kind to set up a meeting for the inner circle of members immediately, I will go and gather our visitors."

"Visitors?" she asked, "They're still here?"

"Well yes," he admitted, "I couldn't very well have them go home."

"For heavens sake, Why?" she asked. "Who exactly are you hiding?"

"At the meeting," Albus told her kindly, is a way that he would placate a child. "You will find out at the meeting."

"DON'T TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME, ALBUS!" she said. "I have a right to be concerned when you are being all mysterious. Think about the student's safety. Need I remind you that we have the so called _Chosen One _living in this castle, according to what you told us about the prophecy. Which I'll add that we are now all risking our lives to protect said prophecy. What if these people were to harm the boy?"

Albus laughed, and Minerva looked at him as if he had grown another head. "Out of all the things we need worry about," Dumbledore started to say, "That is not one of them. I can assure you that it is most certainly not one of them."

Minerva still looked ready to argue with the headmaster, when something on the corner of his desk started to light up and spin. "Albus, What is-"

She was cut off by the headmaster's rapid interruption, "Nothing, Nothing," he told her. "Just a gadget that I recently acquired. I thought that I had worked out all of its problems, but obviously not. Maybe if I just tweaked the detection spells slightly, or maybe the warning-"

"ALBUS," she said, loudly interrupting the rambling wizard in front of her.

"Oh, right," he said. "Well the point is that it is nothing. Now, if you would go and gather the order members I will go and get our guests." He started to walk towards the office door, leaving no room for argument, when the thing started to emit a low whistling sound and spin even faster. An expression that Minerva could name passed quickly across his face, but it was gone in an instant. "Minerva, when you are contacting everyone please don't get Severus. I do not require his presence at this meeting." He said calmly, not betraying the slight fear the object gave him. He had charmed it so that he would know if Lily or James went wandering through the castle, because it was something he expected the former marauder to do. The second charm told him if they had seen anything that he would not have wanted them to, such as their son or any of his friends. He was worried that the temptation to introduce themselves might override their need for secrecy.

"Are you finally realizing that Severus is not to be trusted? I told you that-"

"You know my views on this." He said sharply, "I trust Severus with my life, and my opinion will never change. Now, could you please go and send out word of the meeting."

She gave him one more cursory glance, before finally relenting and nodding her head. She walked out the open door that he was holding and started the short trip to her office, and the floo connection that it provided.

Dumbledore followed he out the door and set off to the head dorm outside the Gryffindor common room, his feet sweeping forward even for than usual when he realized that neither of the Potter's had their wands.

**(L&J) (L&J) (L&J) (L&J) (L&J) (L&J) **

Lily was cursing herself and her crazy, slightly idiotic husband mentally as they hid behind a statue in the corridor outside their dorm. James had been bugging her all morning about exploring the castle. _What's the worst that could happen_, he had said.

Lily mentally cursed again. _This is,_ she thought to herself. She had disillusioned both of them using her best wandless magic, for she had always been very talented at Charms. But, it still wasn't her best work and if someone were to really be looking for them, they wouldn't have too much trouble seeing through the spell.

They had left the dorm room and started to walk down the hall when they heard voices coming from the opposite end of the corridor. That lead them to where they were now sitting, behind a statue not ten feet from the portrait of the Fat Lady.

Lily could tell that the voices were getting louder, and the people were obviously getting closer. She started to pay closer attention to the voices, just like she could tell James was already doing.

"You did a great job tonight, Neville," said a girl's voice.

Lily looked over excitedly at James. There was only one person crazy enough to name their son Neville. It had to be her godson.

A male's voice mumbled unintelligently, but the girl responded. "Nonsense, you were one of the most improved members there."

A different male voice responded, "She's right, Neville. You were much better tonight."

The first male, Neville, mumbled a soft, "Thanks,"

The girl's voice sounded surprised when she answered, "Thank you, Ronald."

Another female voice laughed, "Don't get your hopes up Hermione," she said. "My dear brother here isn't that sensitive."

The second boy, Ronald, snorted indignantly and muttered some protests.

The girls laughed, and Lily could tell that they had passed their hiding spot and had stopped outside the portrait."

"Veniat Immutatio," said the girl named Hermione, causing the portrait to swing open.

The voices were trailing away now, but Lily could still manage to hear Hermione offer to let Ginny, who Lily assumed was the other girl, wait with them in the common room. Her heart jumped when she heard Ginny's reply, "No Hermione, I don't want to stop the Golden Trio from their scheming. I'll be fine sitting with my other friends."

Lily was pretty sure that their conversation had continued, but she had been unable to hear it anymore. She had also tuned out their conversation at that point too, as she had turned around to face James. "Golden Trio," she mouthed excitedly, recognizing the name of the group of Gryffindor's their son was part of.

James nodded too, remembering the name that the teachers of Hogwarts used to refer to his son and his two best friends. He helped his wife up, and didn't argue with her when she suggested that they returned to their room. As they made their way back down the hall, James said, "What do you think they meant when they said Neville did much better? There are no lessons today."

Lily shrugged her head; admittedly, she hadn't even noticed that because she was all to consumed by who the people she had just heard were. "Where do you think Harry was?"

"Probably wherever they just were. It sounds like there was some sort of club meeting, maybe Harry's part of the club."

Lily thought about that, "Probably," she admitted. They fell silent as they made their way back to the dorm and through it's portrait, only breaking their silence when they saw who was in the dorm waiting for them.

Albus Dumbledore was standing just inside the entrance to the dorm room, staring into the faces of the two Potter's. "Did you have a good time?" he asked them, eyes twinkling.

Lily's mouth opened and closed, no sounds coming out. James smiled, "Sure did, he told his old headmaster.

"I'm glad," he told them, giving Lily a kind smile so that she knew he wasn't mad. "Just remember to be careful."

They both nodded their heads, and James asked, "Can we help you Albus?"

Albus laughed, "Actually," he told them. "It's what I can do for you. How would you like to meet and get reinstated into the inner circle of the Order?"

Lily and James exchanged brilliant looks, "We'd like that a lot," she told Albus.

"Great," he told them, handing them two wands as he spoke. "Here are two of my spare wands, they won't work perfectly, but you can manage with them until we can get yours from your vault. I also don't need to tell you that you will probably have to prove yourselves to everyone else. When we get there, I am asking you to stay hidden until I tell you otherwise. I would like a chance to prepare everyone there; it would not be good to have anyone end up in ."

The three exchanged a short laugh, and Dumbledore said something else, "I also want you to know that both Sirius and Remus will be there," he told the couple.

They stopped laughing immediately, both incredibly nervous to meet their friends. Aware that since the last time they met one had been in Azkaban and that they no longer thought the other was a traitor. "Ok," James said, "I think I owe both of them a long overdue apology. Are we ready to go?"

Dumbledore nodded and held out an old piece of parchment, "Read that," he told them. They did, and once they had finished the piece of parchment burst into flames. Dumbledore held out a quill this time, "Hold on."

Once all three people were holding the quill, it glowed a brilliant blue. Then, the room was empty as the portkey took its occupants to the south side of London.

**Hello my lovely readers! I hoped you liked the chapter; the next one will be the meeting of the Order, and the events that follow due to that. Also, the chapter will be UPDATED TOMORROW! (I think I'm spoiling everyone, three chapters in three days!)**

**And, in case you were wondering the password, **_**Veniat Immutatio**_**, means 'change is coming' in Latin, (or at least Google told me it did…sorry, my language vocabulary is limited to English, French and some very limited Spanish) Anyway, I thought that it would foreshadow a bit of what is to come in my story!**

**Until Next Time,  
TFG**


	7. Meet the Potters

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

"Where are we?" Lily asked curiously, looking around the endless row of brick houses on the all but deserted street.

James gave her his signature cocky grin, the one that used to earn him the name 'arrogant toe rag', "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix which can be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London."

"Why thank you Jamie," she said, just as cheekily. She ignored his protests about how much he hated that particular nickname.

"This is the Black Family Estate," Dumbledore told the couple. "Sirius lent it to us so that we would have a place to use as headquarters. Molly and the kids spent the better part of the summer trying to clean it up as much as possible."

Lily said nothing, but did nod her head in acknowledgement of his words. She was watching James stare at the house that used to keep his best friend a prisoner by his own family. If James had any character flaws, it was not his loyalty. He was the most loyal person on the planet, and he had always hated how there was nothing he could do for his friend during their first five years of friendship.

James shook his head in order to clear it, and Dumbledore, sensing that they were ready to go, lead the small procession into the house. When they got to the door, he cast two very powerful disillusionment charms on the Potters before knocking and entering. He strode into the dining room that they used for meetings and took a seat at the end of the table. James and Lily followed him, but they remained standing in the doorway of the room.

Lily looked around, noticing that there were quite a few missing faces, along with some new faces. Surrounding the table sat, Dumbledore, Mad-eye, Sirius, Remus, Kingsley Shacklebolt, a woman with bubblegum pink hair, Molly and Arthur Weasley and Minerva McGonagall. Lily was not surprised about any of the members that were there, but she was slightly curious about who the woman with the pink hair was. She thought that she looked slightly familiar, but Lily couldn't come up with a name.

James wasn't looking around; he was only staring at the faces of two people in the room. His best friends, his marauders. They looked older and more stressed, which James feel even guiltier as he was to blame for everything they had been through in the last fourteen years. Even though he was expecting there to be noticeable differences in his friends, he hadn't expected them to be so prominent. He also hadn't been prepared to seen Sirius' face; it was the first time that James had seen it without even the hint of a smile or laughter line present. James was jolted out of his thoughts when the people around the table started to talk.

"You're late," grumbled Mad-eye. "We've all been sitting here for the better part of an hour waiting for you and these so called visitors that Minerva said were in the castle."

Dumbledore chose to ignore the first part of Moody's comments, and instead responded to the second part, "Yes," he said, "It took a little longer that I thought to gather them. Sorry to have kept everyone waiting."

Minerva huffed, making her discontent known throughout the room. Molly however spoke, "Albus," she began, "I must say that I agree with Minerva. Who are these strange people she says are staying at the castle? What about the children?

"The children are fine," Albus assured her. "No harm will come to any of them."

"Except from the old toad," said the woman with pink hair.

Everyone turned to look towards her, and her hair suddenly turned bright red in embarrassment. Lily suddenly remembered her as the metamorphmagus daughter of Andromeda Tonks. "Well it's true, she's had Harry in more detentions this year that the poor boy's had his entire life. He's nearly caught up to his father's record."

Sirius and Remus protested loudly at that, although the boy had been getting a lot of detentions, he was nowhere near close to the number that James had gotten. Although, if he kept going at this rate for the rest of the year, then he might be.

Lily exchanged an incredulous look with James; nobody had told her that her son was in training to become a junior marauder.

"It's not for my lack of trying," Minerva said to the group. "I challenge every single one of those detentions, but she just comes up with educational decree every time. Did you know that his last detention was because his essay was a quarter of an inch longer that she had asked for."

Molly let out a small whimper, but Dumbledore called the informal meeting back to order. "I know," he said gravely, "But rest assured that I am doing everything in my power to stop Dolores Umbridge. Now, can we move on to the point of this meeting?"

He received nods from everyone, "Shouldn't we be waiting for Snivellus?"

Dumbledore shook his head, "His presence is not required here today," he said simply.

"Why not?" Molly asked curiously.

"Did you finally decide that the old bat is untrustworthy," Sirius said.

Minerva let out a snort which Dumbledore ignored, "No, and I shall not repeat myself again. Everyone here knows how I feel about Severus, I trust him with my life."

There were a few mumbled protests, but nobody dared to contradict Dumbledore. "Shall I continue," he said, getting nods of approval. "On the night of the Halloween Feast, an elf walked up to my chair and asked to talk to me. There were also people with it that were disillusioned under elf magic."

"Albus, you're crazier that I thought if you think that an elf talking to you is this important," said Mad-eye. "Hogwarts has over a hundred house elves, it's nothing special."

A few of the others murmured their agreement with Mad-eye's statement, but Dumbledore continued. "You would be right, Alastor, in normal circumstances. But, I never allowed the magic, which means that the elf's true master must have ordered it. What was even more odd was that the house elf was Anna."

Sirius had been tapping his fingers casually on the table for the last few minutes, but he immediately stopped, "Albus, what the bloody hell are you getting at?" He demanded in a gruff voice.

Everyone who was sitting around the table looked taken aback at Sirius' aggressive tone, everyone except Remus. "Albus, that's impossible." Remus was just as shocked as Sirius, but he wasn't as vocal about it. After all, he had only just learned himself that Anna had been working at Hogwarts for all these years.

Everyone except for Remus and Sirius now looked extremely confused, so Dumbledore took a moment to explain, "Anna was the Potter family house elf before James and Lily died," he said.

Both Lily and James still felt it very strange to hear people talking about their deaths, but kept on listening, "She came looking for me after that Halloween, and asked for a position there until Harry became of age to take over the family. I agreed, and at her request, never told anyone."

There were more that a few shocked faces, and when nobody seemed inclined to say anything, Sirius repeated his earlier question, "Again Albus, what the bloody hell are you getting at?"

Dumbledore took a second to think about how to phrase his response. But, considering who was present he figured that it would be best to just tell them outright, "Sirius, I am saying that the two people who were with Anna were Lily and James Potter."

Sirius, along with everyone else in the room froze and looked up at him with a dumbfounded. Remus came to his senses first, his wolfy characteristics showing, "They're dead," he hissed.

Dumbledore smiled kindly at the room, "I can assure you that they're very much alive," he said to the still quiet room. "And they're in this room right now."

Moody had jumped up and had his wand pointing into empty space, his eye circling like mad and muttering under his breath. "Are you mad Albus?" He demanded. Kingsley was also looking at him funnily, and he too had his wand raised.

"It's not possible," Sirius said, the tone in his voice a combination of grief, disbelief, and hope.

James had had enough, and after exchanging a look with Lily that allowed them to have an entire conversation, he took off their disillusionment charms.

"I'm disappointed with you Padfoot," he said jokingly. "I thought the number one marauder rule was that nothing's impossible."

Three things happened at once. Dumbledore groaned, because he had lost control of the situation. Remus and Sirius stood up and raised their wands, and Mad-eye sent a body bind curse at them. Although the Potters hadn't been expecting acceptance, they also hadn't expected curses to be flying. Despite this, both managed to dodge the curse and cast a shield in front of them. Moody looked shocked, he was one of the best aurors in the department and, and the only people other than the potters who had come close to defeating him were all in this room.

Minerva, who now also had her wand raised, spoke, "What is the meaning of this Albus? Surly you cannot expect us to believe that these impostors are actually Lily and James?"

"I questioned them myself Minerva," Dumbledore addressed her. "I gave them veritserum, and they answered every question correctly. They really are Lily and James."

The people in the room looked shocked with this new information. Each of them knew firsthand that it was impossible to lie under veritserum, but they were still having trouble believing that what they were seeing was true.

"I welcome all of you to question them," he said, "I am sure they will oblige."

Lily and James nodded their heads vigorously. Nobody in the room moved for a long moment, but then Molly lowered her wand slightly and looked at her husband. When she received a nod, she lowered her wand and stepped forwards towards Lily, with her husband tracing her steps with his raised wand.

"Ummm, Lily...could you tell me what happened the first time you met our kids?"

Lily smiled kindly at the woman who had taken care of her son for the last five years. The woman that was responsible for so much of the love and joy in her son's life up until now. "Sure Molly. It all started when you were helping me tend to Jamie's latest injuries..."

_"Seriously Jamie," Lily said. "You had to go and play the hero? Really? We have a child on the way! What would have happened if I had lost you?"_

_"Relax Lils," James said. "I'm not going anywhere."_

_Lily started to mutter some feeble protests, but Molly interrupted her. "There you go dearie," she told James, "You're all patched up, but I don't want you going anywhere too soon. There's an empty bed on the first landing to your right. Go on up and get some rest while your wife and I clean up,"_

_"Thanks Molly," James had said, sensing not to argue with the red haired woman. He got up and went up the stairs._

_"Thanks Molly," Lily said when he was gone. "I could have done it myself, but I've been feeling drained lately from the baby."_

_"That's quite alright, dearie," Molly told the young woman, while waving her wand once to clean up the blood. "There's nothing wrong with asking for a bit of help sometimes. Goodness knows that I would understand that, what with six boys running around. Can you believe it, not even one girl!"_

_Lily laughed, "I don't know how you do it, I'm nervous just thinking about having one kid running around. Especially considering that he's half James."_

_Molly smiled fondly at her, "I know it seems hard now, but once the little one arrives you'll feel better. And, once you get to your second and third I gets much easier."_

_"I can imagine," Lily said, "James and I want more, but we're just focusing on this one at the moment."_

_"That's a good way to look at it," Molly told her. "But speaking of children, mine are much to quiet right now. KIDS!"_

_The sound of six pairs of small feet came rushing down the stairs. Lily was a little shocked to see six boys with bright red hair running towards them. One boy, who looked to be about in the middle of the ages ran right up to his mothers arms," I tried to stop them mommy, I really did." He told her. _

_"That's quite alright Percy," Molly told her son, "Why don't you all introduce yourselves to Mrs. Potter."_

_"Call me Lily," she said, interrupting before they could start._

_The little boy in his mom's arms went first, "Hi, Miss. Lily," he said, "My name's Percy."_

_"Charlie," said another, his voice only betraying the slightest hint of laughter._

_"I'm Bill," said the eldest, his voice seemed slightly angry. He gestured to the little boy in his arms, "This is Ron."_

_Lily looked at the other two boys, who were obviously twins, "And who are you?"_

_"I'm Gred!" One said._

_"I'm Forge!" Said the other one._

_Lily looked surprised, "What interesting names," she told them._

_Molly sighed, "That's not their names," she told her. "This one's Fred and the other one's George."_

_Lily laughed, "How old are they?" She asked._

_"Two," Molly answered._

_"And half," protested one of the boys._

_"Yes dearies," Molly chuckled, "You're two and a half. Bill, why don't you give Ronald to Lily to hold, you never usually want anything to do with him."_

_All of the red braided boys started to laugh, and Lily looked at Molly. Molly looked at the boy's suspiciously, "What's so funny?" She asked them, looking at Bill. "Why won't you give him to Lily?"_

_"I can't" Bill told her, becoming angrier. "The twins stuck him to my arms!" Everyone in the room started to laugh, even Molly, who couldn't believe her son's predicament._

"And that's it," Lily said. "You sent them all back upstairs after that, I think you mentioned something about the twins not getting any dessert."

When Lily was telling her story, she was once again looking into the laughing face of Molly. Molly stopped laughing, looking back at Lily, "It's really you?" she asked, and Lily nodded. Molly wrapped her arms around Lily and gave her a tight hug.

Lily hugged her back, "Thank you," she murmured, trying to convey as much as she could through those two little words.

Molly turned back to the rest of the room, and nodded at Albus, "It's really her. I didn't tell anyone else about that story. I didn't even tell Arthur why the twins didn't get any dessert that day."

People in the room lowered their wands slightly; except for Mad-eye who was always the most suspicious. "I don't have anything good to ask Potter, does anyone have something besides these two?" he asked gesturing to Remus and Sirius, who were still glaring at James and Lily. Neither was convinced that it was actually them, because it was just too good to be true.

"I do," said Minerva, moving to stand in front of her favourite former student. "James, why don't you tell everyone what happened during your last detention at Hogwarts?"

James paled, he had never told anyone why he had gotten that particular detention. Not even the other marauders or Lily knew the reason, they only knew that he had returned to the common room shortly after midnight and that something strange had happened.

Lily, who was watching her husbands paling cheeks added, "Yes Jamie, Why don't you finally tell everyone what on earth you did to earn a detention on the last night of our seventh year?"

This time James actually blushed, "Well…" he began. "Do you remember how Professor McGonagall wasn't there on the last full day of term?"

_James knocked on the door of his head of house's door and let himself in. It seemed rude not to, even though he knew that the Professor was incapable of answering the door due to her present condition. He couldn't believe that he had succeeded in his plan. He looked nervously at the corked bottle in his hand, scared at what was about to come. _

_James walked over to the Professor's desk, where a tabby cat sat on the surface. "Hello Professor," he said, greeting her._

_The cat hissed at him, and James felt scared again. He contemplated turning around again with the antidote, but decided that even he didn't want to be the student who received detentions after they had graduated. "I have the antidote right here," he told the cat, holding out the bottle. He uncorked it and set in to the floor beside the desk. The cat immediately jumped down and James gulped, preparing for what was about to come. _

_The cat liked the top of the bottle, and she promptly changed back into her human form. "POTTER!" screamed Professor McGonagall._

"_Yes Professor?" he asked, as innocently as possible. _

"_MY OFFICE! NOW!"_

_James followed her into her office and sat down in a chair, reaching for a biscuit. _

"_DON'T TAKE A BISCUIT," she screamed at him._

_James looked taken aback, she always told students that she was mad at to take a biscuit. James wasn't sure she wanted to find out what she did to them when she was furious, but it looked like he was about to find out. _

"_DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA…" she started to say before trailing off. "A WHOLE DAY! YOU FORCED ME TO BE A CAT FOR THE ENTIRE DAY!"_

_James was trying very hard not to laugh, he had come across the spell when he was studying for his NEWT's, and had really wanted to try it. It forced you to stay in your Animagus form until the antidote was given. It was an extremely difficult charm to do, and even James knew before he cast it that he would have been the only student capable of casting it. He has known the professor would suspect him, which is why he had personally delivered the antidote to her._

"_DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MAD I AM?" she screamed._

"_No," James said, hoping that it was the right answer. _

_The professor was quiet for a long moment, and then she burst into laughter. _

"_Professor, are you quiet alright. I don't think there should have been any side effects, and I know I cast the charm right. _

_It took a full five minutes before she could talk again, "Congratulations, James," she said. "You managed to pull that prank on me, which speaks a great deal about your abilities. Good job."_

_James stared at her, "You're thanking me? For pulling a prank? He asked her, watching as she nodded. "And you're not telling me to eat a biscuit? Or give me a detention?"_

_Professor McGonagall nodded her head again, "I'm not mad, you've managed to succeed in the one thing you and you're friends have been trying to do since first year. You managed to pull a prank one me. To tell you the truth, I was actually considering letting you pull one on me tomorrow, but you actually managed to fool me. Good job James, you can go now. I think we've been here enough for your friends to think that you were in detention."_

_James laughed, "Thank you professor, have a goodnight." He said getting up._

"_And James," she called after him, "Why don't we let this remain our little secret?"_

_James nodded in agreement, pausing in the doorway, "And Professor, Why don't you add this to my detention record. I'm tied with Sirius right now, and we can't have that."_

_Minerva laughed and watched the retreating back of her favourite student, but she pulled out her file just the same and added one more detention to the record of Mr. Potter._

Everyone was looking between James and Minerva, waiting for her to confirm his story. "I never thought I'd see the day," she said slowly. "It's him. It's defiantly him."

By now, everyone except the two marauders were convinced, so James turned towards them. "Ok, let's have it? What do I need to do to convince the two of you?"

Sirius and Remus whispered back and forth before turning around, "Turn into Prongs."

James nodded, and blurred right in front of everyone, becoming a Stag. Remus dropped his wand in shock, and Sirius fell to the floor.

"Prongs?" he mouthed to the stag, watching it nod before turning back into James.

"It's really me," he confirmed. Sirius launched himself into James' arms, tears running down his cheeks. Remus gave Lily a long hug too.

"Geeze, Padfoot. I know you love me, but I don't think everyone else here is ready to see it."

Sirius gave a throaty chuckle, "It's good to have you back Prongs, and you Lily," he said as he switched places with Remus before everyone sat down at the table.

"Well," Minerva began. "I guess I understand why you didn't want Severus here."

Albus nodded, "I didn't think we were quite ready for that reintroduction yet," he said.

"How do you explain this, Albus?" Moody asked, bringing everyone back to the topic at hand.

"Does Harry know?" Sirius asked.

Dumbledore shook his head, "He has a right to know," Remus said. "They're his parents."

Lily and James nodded in agreement, but Dumbledore spoke, "I know Remus, but think about it. They boy has never know them, and he won't be quick to believe it either. I was hoping that you and Sirius would be able to help me convince him, he'll trust you more if you say it's actually them."

Remus and Sirius both nodded, so he continued. "As for an explanation, I have none. I thought it would be something we can look into. In all of my years I have never even heard of such an occurrence."

Kingsley nodded his head, "Why don't we start with what we know?" he said in his deep, steady voice. James nodded and began their story.

"So that's everything," he said, finishing. "We don't know any-" he was cut off by the sound of the front door opening.

"BLACK!" a voice yelled throughout the house. "I DEMAND THAT YOU GET A HANDLE ON THAT INSUFFERABLE GODSON OF YOURS!"

Most adults in the room exchanged dark looks, not looking forward to what was about to come. Snape entered the room, although from his position he couldn't see either of the Potters, "HE JUST…Oh, did we have a meeting?"

Minerva opened her mouth, but she stopped when she saw Severus' eyes scanning the table to see who was there. She, along with everyone else in the room watched him at the exact moment he noticed the Potters sitting at the table. Then, they all watched as he fell to the floor, unconscious.

**Hello my lovely readers. I hoped you liked this chapter; it's my longest one yet! Please tell me what you think in a review. Do you think that we could get to 100 reviews before my next update? We're so close! The next update will be in a few days, either Friday or Saturday. Thanks so much for reading! **

**Until next time,  
TFG**


	8. Snivelly's Awake

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Harry Potter. That belongs only to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling.**

**THIS IS A SHORT UPDATE, AND WILL BE EXPLAINED AT THE BOTTOM**

"He's fine," said Molly Weasley, as she rose from her spot hovering over Snape.

"Too bad," said Sirius, "It would have been nice to see old Snivelly finally croak."

Dumbledore gave Sirius a look with his piercing blue eyes before turning back to the man on the floor, "_Rennervate_."

Snape's eyes opened immediately, and he jumped up. He looked at the Potters once more, but didn't faint. "Lily?"

"Hello Severus," she said.

"I'm dreaming. I'm going to wake up and be at Hogwarts," he muttered.

Sirius snorted, "Prongs, who would have known? Old Snivelly actually sleeps at night, I guess he's not a bat after all."

Both James and Remus started to laugh, but were silenced by a sharp glare from Lily. "You're not dreaming, Snape" she said coolly, never yet forgiving him for that day back in their fifth year.

"She speaks the truth, Severus," Dumbledore said, when their eyes met. "Lily and James are back."

"I don't believe it," he snarled, looking at the Potters. "They must have convinced everyone, used dark magic."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Ask me anything,"

Snape glared at her, "What happened the first time your sister slapped me?"

"You insulted Petunia's new dress, it was the purple one with little green flowers. She pushed you into the mud, kicked you, and then slapped you when you tried to get up." Lily was laughing when she finished. "I think that was the most unlady like thing that she's ever done."

Snape's eyed hardened, she had obviously gotten the question right. He turned to James, who spoke before she could even ask a question. "I saved you life,"

Snape froze, almost nobody knew that. He realized that it actually was the Potters standing in front of him. He began to squirm, thinking of everything that he had done in the last fifteen years. He started to sweat, and turned to Dumbledore. "How?" he asked weakly.

A shrill voice interrupted them rather rudely, "I think we'd all like to know that Albus," Minerva McGonagall said, gesturing to all the other people in the room.

"Yes, Yes," Dumbledore said, pointing for everyone to take a seat. "I guess some explanations are in order…"

**Hello my lovely readers! Thanks for being so patient with me, it's been a while since I've updated. I haven't given up, so please keep reading for an explanation. I have been on a mission trip for the last three weeks, and only got back yesterday. Tomorrow, I leave to go to New York for two weeks. I posted this today, because I thought you guys had waited long enough, Sorry that it's short, but I promise a longer one next! Also, I won't be able to post until I get back from NYC…BUT, after that all of my travelling will be done, so I can go back to posting much more regularly. **

**I'll give you a small spoiler to thank you in advance…SPOILER…Harry will meet his parents soon, in the next two to three chapters!**

**Thanks so much for sticking with me, Until next time,**

**-TFG**


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